As the Decision Nears

We're heading into the final hour now. I have just written two stories -- skeletal for-print stories, one for each scenario. Talk about strange. Writing each story -- one for a Strasburg signing, one for a non-signing -- forced me to enter, briefly, the alternate universes of Washington's baseball future.

One second, there's rejoicing.

One second, there's dismay.

A quick thought here. The offer that Washington had placed on the table for Strasburg as the day began -- somewhere between $12.5 and 17 million, depending on what you're hearing -- is most assuredly not the team's final offer. At some point very late, that number will bump. Maybe 5 percent. Maybe 10 percent. Maybe 15 percent. But it will bump. Without question owner Ted Lerner has already authorized as much. He knows that much about negotiations. You don't start with your final offer.

Chances are, Lerner has already picked his highest number, and if Strasburg accepts, he'll be a Nat. If not, Washington will have the "1A" compensatory pick in 2010. In the end, this will be a Lerner decision. Not a Stan Kasten decision. Certainly not a Mike Rizzo decision.

I disagree Tylerlang. Nobody's gonna feel sorry for Strasburg and Boras if they turned down $17m....that's 70% more than the previous record offer. What's more...I don't think they will turn that down because there's too much risk involved in waiting a year just to make a few million more.

At a recent interview, the sons-in-law did most of the talking. Theodore Lerner -- still fit thanks to regular tennis -- looked on impassively and crumpled a slip of paper into a ball. When he spoke, it was in short bursts.

in 1969 when the apollo 11 astronauts were landing on the moon the white house prepared 2 speeches, one for a successful mission and one in the event that they were unable to lift off the lunar surface, leaving them to suffocate on national tv...which speech do we get tonight

I'd also love to read both stories tomorrow. You should definitely post the alternate to NJ!

As far as SS, I don't know what to say that hasn't been said. It's not my money, so I hope they sign him! If Lerner made 42 mil last year on the team, he should be willing to spend half that on something that will make him more in the long run.

Gammons - Sportscenter: Ackley should get done for Seattle. Things could go past midnight. MLB people think Nats have to get this done. Issue with "confusion in management" (Rizzo, fact that he's not full GM yet). Sides were 10-12 million apart earlier today. Long way to go, but negotiations are happening. If they get to 18-22 mil, it will get done.

If they really did offer 17 million and Strasburg doesn't sign, then most, if not all the blame should go to Strasburg! At 12.5 million, several could have made an argument that they were being cheap again. But, in my opinion, if he turns down $15-20 million, then he's the one who's gonna be criticized for being too greedy!

Each night, I lay out my clothes for the following day at the office. Business casual. Tonight I put out two golf/polo-style shirts. A plain white one, and my blue Nationals shirt. Tomorrow at work, I'll either wear blue and a smile, or white (all the time muttering under my breath about Boras, aka "Beelzebub, Harvester of Souls."

Think about it..Boz covered all this back in the late winter/early spring. What are the odds this guy turns out to be the real deal? 1 in 10? It's a no-win situation for the Lerner's either way. Everyone wants to make the Lerners out to be the bad guys when they paid an inflated price for a broken team, made a ton of concessions to the DC govt., got crucified for holding payment cuz the stadium wasn't finished. Whether or not anyone agrees with me, I don't care. The Nats are on the cusp of being a good team, one that will contend next year. The front office is finally looking up, the money invested in pitching over the past 3 yrs will start paying off. Hell, they would be contending this year if they had some relief pitching earlier this year. Look it up, they would be over 500 IF the games only went 6 innings. Whether or not they sign Stras is not the game breaker everyone seems to think it will be. But, the Lerners again will be crucified if they don't sign him.

Peace. And let them be. in their exaltation.
They speak belter than they know, and beyond your understanding.
They know and do not know, what it is to act or suffer.
They know and do not know, that action is suffering
And suffering is action. Neither does the agent suffer
Nor the patient act. But both are fixed
In an eternal action, an eternal patience
To which all must consent that it may be willed
And which all must suffer that they may will it.

That the pattern may subsist, for the pattern is the action
And the suffering, that the wheel may turn and still
Be forever still.

It feels like Christmas, except with more of a chance that Santa doesn't exist. So, I'm going to bed now because I'm tired and because it sounds like an interesting proposition. I mean, imagine, if you could turn back the clock to the time when you hoped that Santa was real.

No sportscaster hates the Nats more than George Michael. I'm glad that blowhard was finally put out to pasture. I can't believe he paid Dan Snyder to have exclusive rights to broadcast from inside the football team's Ashburn facility to have exclusive interviews with the coach every Monday. Going back, he actually said on air that baseball wouldn't make it in DC, and when Brett Haber at WUSA broke the news about the Lerners buying the team, Michael was quick to shoot it down. I think he hated anything that took away from the precious minutes of his sportscasts that didn't have to with the local football team or pro wrestling. Jerk.

Can you imagine if MLB gives the extension for days like is allowed under the CBA

Posted by: gtownhistorian | August 17, 2009 11:43 PM | Report abuse

They might have to for some of these guys. I'm not sure if Bud can just order that or if there has to be some tangible reason he needs though. 11 of 32 first round picks are unsigned. That has to be some kind of record. Of course that includes our old friend Aaron Crow...who looks like he's about 14 minutes from being the next Harrington.

Yeah, but Baseball Tonight is not on tonight until 12:30, so MLB Network is the only option right now. I just turned on ESPN, and they - like our own local media - are talking about the local football team.

Already covered, of course, but Crow actually double-dumbass pooched himself by going to the independent league. Tonight's deadline doesn't apply to him--KC can let him twist until the next draft, almost.
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Of course that includes our old friend Aaron Crow...who looks like he's about 14 minutes from being the next Harrington.

Either way, my feeling by now is that Boras, Strasburg, Kasten, Fehr, and Selig can all go do something that would get me banned for suggesting it. The NFL manages to make each team competitive (Lions notwithstanding) and not put its fans through agonies like this while two or three teams sign all the free agents.

Is it just me, or does anyone else have a really bad feeling about this?

I cannot blame the Lerners if Strasburg fails to sign. They've already broken the bank in their offers and set records. $20+ million would just break the entire organization financially if this kid doesn't pan out, not to mention break the entire draft structure.

Love the nats. I have been tough on Lerner all year, but I have almost had it with Strausburg. We have tons of people who can't get a job and established players are making 25% of what they used to make. He played in a crappy league and did ok vs Cuba. He isn't worth more than 15 Guaranteed. If he signs I hope he shows us something soon, cause expectations are through the roof.

If $20 million breaks the organization financially if Strasburg doesn't pan out, what did we get this year with Kearns ($8M), Young ($5M), Wily Mo Pena ($whateverM)? In the whole scope of things, it's not that big of a risk.

The Washington Nationals tonight agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher Nathan Karns, who was selected in the 12th round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft out of Texas Tech University. Nationals Assistant General Manager and Vice President of Baseball Operations Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

The 6-foot-4, 225 lbs. Karns went 4-5 and fanned 57 in 13 starts or 54.1 innings this season for Texas Tech. The 21 year-old Karns was originally drafted by the Astros in the 10th round of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft, but did not sign. He began his collegiate career at North Carolina State, but transferred to Texas Tech after his freshman season. Karns is currently pitching in the Texas Collegiate League, where he is 4-0 and ranks 3rd in ERA at 1.20.

With tonight’s signing, the Nationals have now agreed to terms with 28 players from the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, including 13 of their top 15 picks. The Nationals’ First-Year Player Draft class of 2009 is listed below, with those in bold having already signed or agreed to terms.

As much as I loathe Scott Boras, I do have to give him credit for being possibly the best agent in the biz...he always gets top dollar for his clients. The grandstanding, the threats, etc., are all hot air designed to inflate the contract value, and it succeeds. Dude is an incredible negotiator and I have to admire him just for that skill.

That said, he's still a scum sucker and represents everything wrong with rookie salaries today

$15.67 for 4 years is a great deal. Buys out an arbitration year, averages $3.9M each year, which is just fine money for a guy who projects to being a #2 or #3 starter for us next year and a #1 soon afterwards.

Upon roster expansion SS should join the club and be hazed as a rookie, big time. During the game, he should occasionally fill in for Clint and throw T-shirts into the stands. Hopefully Boras didn't insert a clause forbidding hazing or souvenir giveaways.

Finally something positive for this team... I still think it would be cool to start him immediately & don't let him pitch past 5 innings, just to see where he is at or how far he has to go... I think he could handle it even if the results weren't the best... sure would give fans something to see.

I am going to give all the credit to Rizz. Can we hire him as the full time GM already. The guy has done more for this team in 6 months than they moved to DC. Learner are cheap? I agree can we kill that sentiment now once and for all. I like where this team is headed!